Waffle iron or the like



Oct, 3o, 1934. A w WHARTON 1,978,872

WAFFLE IRON OR THE LIKE original Filed Sept. s. 195o 2 sheets-sheet 1 0f 3o, '1934. y A, W, WHARTQN i 1,978,872

WAFFLE IRON OR THE LIKE Original Filed Sept. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patentes so, i934 PATENT or-'Fics i 1,978,872 A WAFFLE IRON OB'THE LIKE Astley W. Wharton, Philadelphia, Pa.4

Application september s, 1930, serial No. 479,460 Renewed June 27, 1933 s clama. (ci. ss-io) This invention relates to a'waiile iron or similar baking or toasting apparatus and particularly to an electrically heated form adapted to interrupt the baking or toasting operation after a predel termined time.

In the baking of wailies, pancakes or thel like, mere interruption of the heating current after apredetermined time willnot immediately stop thebaking operation due to the heat in the surfaces contacting with the cake being baked.

It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide means whereby the cake and heating surface or ysurilacesare relatively moved away from each other, permitting the formation of an intermediate air space and thereby preventing o'ver-'heating or burning.

Specifically, it is the object of the invention to provide an arrangement whereby, after a predetennined time, the top portion of the'waiiie iron or the like is raised from the cake which is being baked. A further object of the invention is the provision of means for raising such cake from a lower heating surface.

ticularly relating to details will be apparent from the following description read in commotion with the accompanying drawings, 'in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one embodiment of the invention; p

v Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 3 isa bottom plan view of certain details of thevapparatus, parts being broken away; and Figs. i and 5 are detail views ofthetiming mechanism, -Y In the following specification and claims it will be understood that the term "cake is used in a generic sense to include waiiles, cakes or the like, landalso toast. In the embodiment shown, the instrument, l0 which is in the form oi! an electrically heated wallie iron, comprises a lower casing 2 surmount- -ing a hollow base 4'. Carried by the casing is the usual lower grid 6 of aluminum, or other suitable material, adapted to be heated by a heating elel5 ment 8 which'may be of any of the usual forms used for that purpose. `A cover 10 is pivoted to the casing at-12 carries the usual upper grid which is heated by its individual element, not shown, the two elements being connected either in series 0 or parallel for control by the-same circuit.

A hande 14, secured to the free end of the cover 10 andfcomposed of heat insulating material, is adapted to be manually manipulated to close the cover to bring the'two grids into adjacent rela- 5- tionship. An arm 16 carried by the cover andex- Further specific objects of the invention par-` clockwork mechanism is such that movement of 'tending outwardly over the pivot 12 is connected form of a. small screw, is adapted toengage behind a latch 30 consisting of an arm carried bya short shaft 32 which is normally urged by a spring34 in a direction to move the latch 30 65 upward into position to engage the projection 2li.V 'I'he end of the shaft 32 opposite the latch arm 30 carries a lever 36 of angular shape, as illustrated.

A suitable timing mechanism mounted in theA base includes a, lever 38 pivoted at 40 and pro- 70 jecting outwardly through a slot 42 in the base provided with a small cut-out portion 44 for a purpose to be later described. .A spring 46 normally urges this lever in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig.'2, against a stop 48. 75 A link 50 connects the lever 38 to a member 52 journalled ona pin 53 and carrying pivotally at its outer end an element 54 which comprises a nose 56 and an abutment 58 and carries a pin 59 projecting upwardly therefrom adjacent the nose 56. A spring normally urges the element 54 in a clockwise direction about its pivot, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The nose 56 of the lever 54 is adapted to engage a notch 60 in a member 62 also pivoted on the pin 53 and clutched to the rst gear 85 of a clockwork mechanism, which may be of any usual type and which is designated generally at 64. This. clockwork `mechanism comprises the usual train of gears serving to actuate an escapement so that the first gear thereof moves slowly.

A cam 66 is formed on the end of a lever 68 which is pivoted on the pin 53 and projects outwardly through a 4slot in the base. 'I'he clutch between the member 62 and the rst gear'of the member 62 relative to the first gear may take place freely in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, but not in a counterclockwisedirection, the gear moving with the member in this direction.

A snap switch 70 is arranged to be actuated by 100 the end of the lever 38 so as to be moved from the full line position illustrated in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position in which it engages contacts '72 toclose the circuit through the heating elements of the device. The switch 70 is illustrated 105 in'open circuit position in full lines in Fig. 2 and in closed circuit position in i'ull lines in Fig. 5.

I n order to lift the cake from the -grid 6 at the proper time, there is provided a member 74 in the form of a cross which in the present instance ably guided for vertical movementy in the casing and held from rotation by a pin 'Z8 carried thereby and projecting through slots in a xed guiding sleeve. A spring 80 normally urges the plunger and the member 74 to lowermost position.

Adapted to be'moved into the path of the plung- `er 76 is a lever 82, pivoted at 83 to a cam lever 84 and provided with a cam surface 86 arranged for engagement by the slide 22. 'The cam lever 84 is pivoted at 87 and is urged by a spring 88 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1. A stop 90 limits the movement of the lever 82 under the action of a tension spring 92, the

' limited position being such that a lever 82 is in the path of the plunger '76. A rod 94 pivoted to the end of the plunger extends outwardly through the base for manual manipulation. A stop 95 limits the manual movement of the lever.

In the operation of that the parts are in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, at which time the cover 10 and member batter will now be poured the springs.

. move under it so moves, the lever 82 is' dropped past the free.

` the` path of plunger '76' ,74 will be in raised position, the position of the latter being due to engagement of the plunger 'Z6 by a lever 82 which is moved upwardly by the position of slide 22 in engagement with the cam surface 86. At the same time the lever 38 will occupy the full line position illustrated in Fig. 2 and the switch will be open. Y

By manualpressure exerted upon the rod 94,

the lever 82 may be moved to the dotted line posi' tionl illustrated in Fig. 3. When so moved, it leaves which may then drop un-A der theaction of the spring 80 carrying into lowermost position the member '74. In this lowermost position the member engages the base surface of the grid. Upon subsequent release of the member .94, the spring 92 will rockthe lever 82 into engagement with the sde of the plunger '16. The

upon the lower grid'. The next vstep consists of movement of the .lever 38 into the notch 44 so as to release it from engagement with the arm 36.' When suchrelease is effected, the latch may move upwardly into the path of the projection 28.

In order to start the baking operation, the cover 10 is now manually closed by manipulation of the handle 14. As it is so moved, the cable 18 causes movement of slide 22 against the tension of springs 26 and ing surface'of the latch 30 and then behind the same, the latch rst yielding and'then snapping into position to position. Upon release of the handle 14, the cover will remain closed due to its ownweight, since the `slide cannot moveunder the ac tion of As the slide moves as stated, it no longer engages the cam surface 86 so that. the lever 84 is free'to the action of the spring 88. When end ofthe plunger 76 and is rocked by the'spring 92 across its end into engagement with the stop 90. Y

The lever as is new moved 'mm the position yillustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Such movement closes the circuit through the heating -elements and at the same time effects movement of the element 54 to first cause its abutment 58 to @Nengagerlh member 62 and move it to the position illustrated -in Fig. 5. Release of the lever v 38 then causes engagement of notch 60 by nose 15,6 whereupon the action of the spring 46 will tend the pin 59 the device, let it be assumed.

projection 28 rides upon the slop.

lhold the slide in its rearward.

lfrom the support, a slide, a spring tending to Asupport capable of receiving and holding batter,

to move the member 62 and the gear 64, now I clutched thereto, in a counterclockwise direction.

'Movement of the gear 68 and the lever 38and disengagedfrom the notch 60. As soon as such disengagement takes place, the spring 46 will snap the lever 38 to the end of the slot 42 across the notch 44 into which it will not normally drop unless under manual movement. As'it approaches the end of its arc, it engages the lever 36 thereby tripping the latch'wand permitting the slide 22 to be moved by the springs 26. The cover l0 is thus opened. At Athe same time, lever 84 is rocked to move lever 82 upwardly and thereby raise' the member 74 to carry the cake out of engagement. with the grid. Even though the grid is still quite hot, a body of air will lie between the cake and the grid and thereby prevent burning.` Since the' current is turned off, rapid cooling will, of course, 'take place, so, that the protection'is really required only for a fraction of a minute. 0f course, the apparatus may operate. satisfactorily without interruption of the circuit. l f

In order to prevent shock upon the opening of the cover 10 under the action of the springs 26, a buifer arrangement is provided consisting of` plungers 96 pivoted to the arm to engage springs 98 within barrels 100 when the cover approaches its open position.

It will be obvious that numerous changes may be .made in details of the mechanism without departing from the invention following claims.

What I claim and Patent is:

1. A baking device desire to protect by Letters will' ride upon the cam 66 and will-be 16 and arranged 110 las'defined 1n the 1*-,15

-or the likeicomprising a.

support, means for heating material onthe support, a member underlying a portion ofthe material and movable upward to lift the material fromthe support, a slide, -a spring tending to move the slide in one direction, a latch arranged to restrain the slide against movement under the action of the spring, means for .releasing the latch after a predetermined heating period, and v'means operated by movement of theslide under action of the spring to raise the member.

2. A baking device or the -lilre comprising a support, means for heating material on the support, a member underlying a portion of the material and movable upward to lift the material manually operable meansfor lowering the member -subsevziuently to movement othe slide and prior to its restoration to latched position.

3.- A baking device or the like comprising a electrical means for heating material on the support, an interconnected means operable to lift the baked material from the vsupport and interrupt the v current through the heating means after a pre-I 1 'fietefrminee heating period.- p v i5 4. A baking device or the like comprising a support capable of receiving and holding batter, electrical means for heating material on the support, and interconnected means operable to effect opening of the cover, to litt the baked material from the support, and tofinterrupt the current through the heating means after a predetermined heating period.

5. A baking device. or the like comprising a support` capable of receiving and holding batter,

'means for heating material onthe support, a

cover arranged to close over the material during heating and means for lifting the baked material from the'support simultaneously with lifting of the cover, said last-named means including a member underlying a portion of the material and normallyspring pressed downwardly, a lever ar- 

